1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic wire-tying device for binding a bale of cotton with a plurality of encircling wires while the bale is in a compressed state.
2. Related Art
Bale forming devices of the general type with which the present invention is concerned are used with loose materials, such as cotton and other fibers or the like materials which are considerably fluffed when loose, but will form a comparatively solid bale when compressed such as in a gin press. The compressed components of a bale will fluff or expand when released from the press, and it becomes important, and is indeed essential, to provide ties or bands about the compressed material in order to retain the material in bale form.
Devices have been shown for automatically feeding wires around bale constituents while the bale constituents are in a compressed state in a press. However, with existing devices it is necessary for a worker to manually position the ends of the wires tying in order to secure them around the bale.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,337 to Goland et al. (1965), and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 26,289 to Neitzel et al. (1967) show devices for automatically directing bands around bales of material while the material is held compacted between the platens of a press. Both of these devices require complicated mechanisms for clipping the band while leaving overlapped portions, and then sealing the overlapped portions of the bands.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,477,363 to Trumbo (1969) shows a wire tying apparatus for securing bales of material, but requires the ends of the wires to be manually directed into position for interlocking.
Accordingly, objects and advantages of the present invention include:
(a) to provide apparatus for automatically binding a bale of material with a plurality of wires whereby the wires after loading in the machine are directed around the bale and are secured in place without any manual operations following placement of the wires in the apparatus;
(b) to provide a compact device for automatically binding a bale of material with power means for feeding a plurality of wires around the bale, wherein the power means are mounted directly on movable means for directing said plurality of wires around the bale and for interlocking opposite ends of each wire;
(c) to provide a compact and simple device for automatically binding a bale of material wherein the need for a separate mechanism to secure the binding material, after automatically feeding and directing the binding material around the bale is eliminated; and
(d) to provide new and improved bale binding means and methods.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.